Panama is among those that lose the most drinking water in the region

The Latin American Development Bank CAF called on Panama to take a comprehensive look at the water problem, more broadly impact on the interoceanic channelsince that Central American country records one of the largest losses of drinking water in the region.

The seasonal drought, particularly severe and also exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, has forced the Panama Canal to limit daily shipping transits to 24 of 36, which is estimated to reduce toll revenue by $800 million. this fiscal year, the road manager, Ricaurte Vásquez, told EFE last week, with a consequent impact on the transfer of funds to the treasury.

CAF representative in Panama, Lucía Meza, said that “there is a big discussion in the country about the drought, the challenge (that it presents), with a huge focus of attention on the impact on the Canal.”

“But our vocation, from a technical specialty point of view, is analysis The problems of the water sector require a comprehensive view of the water resource. Panama is one of the countries that loses the most fresh water in consumption in the region, and watch out if it’s the most,” said Meza in a meeting with journalists at the headquarters of the multilateral in the capital of Panama.

Now in Panama, on the one hand, there is talk of water production projects, “but this cannot be isolated” from the fact that “we have to attack the loss, the efficiency of water resources”, which requires “comprehensive work, from the maintenance of the basins to see how citizens use water rationally”, the latter is an issue that needs to be worked on “in education, in culture”.

“The call is to do it a complete view of the problem (water), and it is an opportunity because Panama has been facing a lack of water resources for many years, since the country is surrounded by water,” said Maza.

He emphasized that CAF’s portfolio in Panama reaches $2.5 billion in execution, and one of the areas the multilateral has focused on is water and sanitation projects, as well as education.

User complaints on Lack of potable water or poor service is a constant occurrence in Panamacountry of 4.2 million inhabitants where the Institute for National Aqueducts and Sewerage (Idaan) is in charge of liquid supply.

The Panama Canal, a relevant route for world trade that under normal conditions moves 500 to 510 million tons of cargo each year, connects 189 sea routes and 1,920 ports worldwide, according to its administration.